Wireless communication devices such as cellular telephones, pagers, personal digital assistants, other handheld devices, and other devices are ubiquitous in the modern world. Such communication devices typically have one or more human-machine interfaces, such as LCD screens on which are displayed images, and one or more buttons by which operators can enter commands. In some cases, a touch-sensitive panel (or even touchscreen) can be employed in order to allow an operator to provide commands by contacting one or more regions of the panel, which may or may not be configured to resemble buttons.
While conventional wireless communication devices are equipped with a variety of human-machine interfaces that are relatively inexpensive, relatively easy to use and/or capable of displaying a variety of types of information, there is a continuing need for wireless communication devices having human-machine interfaces with additional or improved features. In particular, while cellular telephones typically have one or more display screens that can be viewed by an operator, depending upon the position of the operator relative to the display screens, these display screens are not always easy to view. Further, although such display screens can be configured in various manners to enhance the viewing of particular types of information on those display screens, there are many circumstances in which the manner of display still does not best facilitate the communication of information to a viewer.
For example, with respect to a clamshell type cellular telephone, the display screen is often located on an inner surface of the phone, such that the display may be concealed when the two halves of the phone are closed to be in contact with one another. Also for example, with respect to candy bar type cellular telephone having a display screen positioned along one of its primary outer surfaces (that is, those of the exterior, typically planar surfaces of the phone having the largest surface area), the display screen may become difficult to view depending upon the position of the viewer relative to the phone (e.g., if the viewer is looking at the phone from the side of the phone).
It would therefore be advantageous if improved human-machine interfaces could be developed for implementation on cellular telephones and/or other wireless communication devices.